The Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association and County of Kaua‘i Youth Summer basketball courts overflowed this weekend. “We heard there is a basketball team from Kaimuki who scrimmaged with Hanakila, Friday,” said Karen Matsumoto of the KYBA. “Coach Bobby Kamakele of
The Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association and County of Kaua‘i Youth Summer basketball courts overflowed this weekend.
“We heard there is a basketball team from Kaimuki who scrimmaged with Hanakila, Friday,” said Karen Matsumoto of the KYBA. “Coach Bobby Kamakele of Kaulupono was supposed to play them Saturday following their scheduled game and Coach Willy Aki and the Kaua‘i Ballers are going to play them this weekend as well.”
Saturday, a basketball team from Aina Haina, O‘ahu, the KKC, with seven high school players managed to play a game led by Brandon Palacio, Shosho Ogawa, Peterson Lahip and several other boys, Saturday, Matsumoto said.
Tab Matsumoto of H1 and 1 and Jim Aronica, the Waimea High School assistant basketball coach, volunteered to officiate the game where KKC took the Waimea boys by just one point.
KKC is also scheduled to play Willy Aki’s Kaua‘i Ballers at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center this weekend.
These games joined the busy weekend calendar which saw Go EZ, limited to just five players on the floor, soar past Westside Pride 113-75, Ian Khan leading the charge with 49 points, Friday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. Player-coach James Flores added 28 points in the Men 18 Over match.
Reynante Villanueva and Ronald Villanueva led the Westside effort with 19 and 18 points, respectively.
Randy Vicoy finished with 13 points and Kalima Leong added 11 points to lead the Warriors to a 64-50 win over GEK who got a game-high 16 points from Brendan McDaniels and eight points from Rod Corpuz.
The final Friday match saw Natalie Mata lead BAM to a 53-40 edge over 808 in a Women Over 18 contest.
Jayme Jacinto, recently getting her diploma from Waimea High School, added 11 points for BAM.
Kristle Henry, a Kaua‘i High School player, and Erin Connelly, a Waimea alumni, dropped 13 and nine points for 808, respectively.
Saturday’s action centered around the Boys Under 12 and Girls Under 14 at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center where Hunter Bethel opened the doors with a game-high 12 points to lead the Kaua‘i Ballers to a 28-20 edge over the West Kaua‘i Hornets who got 10 points from Ardino Ned in the Boys 12 Under game.
Marty Lacierna and Brennan Suniga combined for 17 points to lead Team Lihu‘e X to a 46-9 rom over Team Lihu‘e who got four points from Tajh Mapuhi in the second Boys 12 Under matchup.
Nicole Palacio finished with 13 points and Kaelyn Aquino-Kamakele added nine points to lead Kaulupono to a 43-18 win over the Kamikaze who got six points from Siokapesi Paua and four points from Sheryl Ann Tomas in the Girls 14 Under match.
Kekai Gonsalves netted a game-high 15 points, Autumn Warnock added 13 points and Charlene Hanie finished with 12 points to lead the Kaua‘i Ballers to a 56-10 win over Team Lihu‘e who got four points from Rianna Ralston to wrap up the weekend.
Three games are on tap for Tuesday at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center when the Girls 12 Under take the floor starting at 6 p.m.
The Hanakila girls open against Kaulupono-White at 6 p.m. followed by the Kamikaze taking on Team Lihu‘e at 7 p.m. Kaulupono-Blue meets the Kaua‘i Ballers in the 8 p.m. nightcap.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
